Do you know that your Facebook profile actually reflects an authentic picture of who you are? Cross my heart — it’s the truth — at least if we’re to accept the recommendations of this recent study.

Called the extended real-life hypothesis, the researchers posit that, regardless of users idealized versions of themselves, anything that they put in their Facebook profiles actually paints a mostly accurate picture of who they really are. This is a direct opposite of what is called the idealized virtual-identity hypothesis which assumes that people always have their best foot forward, including portrayals that are pretty off-tangent. (Nifty, the next time you want to stalk someone.)

Of course, the study had focused on American and German university students only so maybe this particular finding only applies to them. Makes me wonder how a localized adaptation of the study would work out. Hmm. What do *you* think, do Filipinos (and other Asians) also show their true selves online? Be sure to hit the comments!